Your Chance to Tell NASA What It Should Do

Should NASA send people to Mars? Build a moon base? Maybe unleash a fleet of awesome robotic probes to explore the solar system?

You can now offer advice on what NASA’s plans should be. The National Research Council is conducting an independent study on NASA’s strategic direction, soliciting comments from experts in science, technology, and space policy — and they’re also asking the public to get involved.

In their public comment section, the NRC will ask what you think NASA’s vision, budget, and international collaboration program should be. But hurry — the public commenting period ends tomorrow, Aug. 17!

As stated in their 2011 Strategic Plan, NASA’s current vision is “to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown, so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind,” and its mission is to “drive advances in science, technology, and exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of Earth.”

This vague wording translates into some specific directives, such as extending the life of the International Space Station, supporting the commercial space industry, and continuing NASA’s own manned spaceflight program and robotic exploration of the solar system.

The National Research Council’s evaluation will look at all aspects of NASA’s plans, including its relevance to national priorities, the viability of its goals under current budget pressures, and its structural organization and efficiency.